Lamp-regulator.



E; SI

LAMP REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 062 .18, 1910 i atented July E911.

EDWARD H. SMITH, 0F ABERDEEN, WASHINGTON.

LAMP-REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 18, 1910. Serial No. 587,745.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. SMITH, citizen of the United States, residing at Aberdeen, in the county of Chehalis and State of \Vashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lamp- Regulators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates toincandescent electric lamps and has special reference to that class of incandescent electric lamps in which means are provided for, varying the light of the lamp, that is to say, decreasing or increasing its brightness.

The invention has for its object to provide an improved regulating device em ployed with sockets of incandescent electric lamps by means of which the light may be regulated from full incandescence to a low point of dimness.

The invention further has for its object to provide an improved regulating device, employed with an incandescent lamp socket, for increasing and diminishing the light, in which a rotary rheostat ring is mounted so constructed as to prevent overheating.

The invention consists of an incandescent electric lamp regulator and in details of construction thereof as hereinafter set forth and claimed. I

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a portion of an incandescent lamp provided with a regulator constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a side view'of the invention in vertical section. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the contact ring removed. Fig. 4 is a plan .view of the rotary contact cylinder. 'Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of the cylinder with contacts and wiring removed. Fig. (5 is a diagral'nmatic view showing a portion of the construction of the contact cylinder and a portion of an incandescent lamp plug. Fig. 7 is a view of the invention showing it provided with an ordinary screw threaded attaching plug.

The device constructed in accordance with this invention is as follows:

A plug for the leading in wires is provided, and, as here shown, for the sake of economy and simplicity of construction, a plug 1. of porcelain, or other suitable material, is provided having its upper end formed with a cavity or chamber 2 and a smaller cavity or chamber 3 in which the lea-ding in wires pass. The lower end of the plug 1 is formed with a central depending projection 4- having at its lower end a shouldered attenuated portion 5 about which projects the upper tubular end 6 of J. threaded socket 7. 1n the upper end of tin socket 7 is located a disk 8 of insulating material on the underside of which is located a washer 9 beneath which is located the head 10 of a rod 11 extending up through a hole in the plug 1. The head 10 of said rod 1.1 holds the upper end of the threaded socket 7 against the lower end of the plug 1, said rod 11 being drawn up by means of a nut 12 on its upper end which clamps against a metallicstrip 13 on the upper end of the rod 11 and projecting over a recess or socket 14 in the lower end of the chamber 2. I

15 indicates one of the leading in wires, which is clamped to the plate 13 by means of a nut 16. The leading in wire 17 is clamped between a pair of nuts 18 on the upper end of the rod 19 projecting into the bottom of the chamber said rod 19 extending'down through a hole in the plug 1 and projecting beneath the lower end of the plug 1. A rod 20 having a nut 21 on its upper end and located in the recess 14 extends down through the plug and projects at its lower end beneath the plug. The rods 19 and 20 project through holes 23 in the top of a metallic frame 22 and their headed ends hold a metallic ring 24 against an insulating ring 25 on the underside of the top ofthe frame 22. Secured to the metallic ring 2 1 is an elastic metallic ring 26, which is located above a rheostat ring formed with an outer metallic casing 27 and an inner porcelain cylinder 28 having an out-turned flange 29 at its top and bottom. The porcelain cylinder 28 has a portion of its upper flange 29 cut away as at 30 so as to permit Patented uly 4, 1911.

the upper-end of a number of vertical contact plates 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35 to be located even with'the upper surface of said flange 29, said plates resting against the outside of the cylinder 28 and having their lower ends resting upon the lower flange 29. The metallic contacts 31 to 35 inclusive, are spaced apart from each other and have extending about them a sheet of mica 37 or other suitable insulating material, which encircles the cylin'cler 28 and is held in position thereon innnd suitable manner; A coil of fine conducting wire 36 is wound about the insulat-;

ing'material- 37 and has one end secured to F. u L

the contact plate 31 and its other end to the contact plate 35, said, contacting wire 36 engaging ditlerent convolutions of the coil at certain distances apart, as for example. at the points 28 so as to have a number of different paths ot' dillerent lengths tor the current. to pass through the entire coil from the contact plate '31 to the contact. plate 35 or from any of the plates 32 to 35 inclusive to the plate 31.

By means of the construction of the ring hereinbetore described, a hollow rheostat. ring is provided having a space between the contact plates and the coil of conducting wire and the outer casing 27. The rheostat ring so constructed is mounted upon and rotates about the lamp socket 7, the lower end of the porcelain cylinder 28 resting on the flange "4" of the incandescent lamp socket 7. The plate 31 is connected in any suitable manner with the lamp socket 7 and as here shown preferably by means of an angular metallic strip 35) connected at one end to the plate 31 and projecting through the wall of the cylinder 28 and having its other end in contact with the flange 7 of the lamp socket 7.

In dispensing with .the usual titling of cement within the rheostatring and forming the ring hollow over-heating of the parts is avoided, the outer casing 27 being provided with aperturcslO which serve to ventilate the interior of the rheostat ring thereby keeping the parts cool.

The rheostat ring is rotated by any suitable means, and, as here shown, preferably by arenas of cords 4-1 secured to the in any suitable manner, each of the cords ll. passing through apertures 4-2 in the frame 22. ll" pulling one or the other of the cords ll, the rhcostat ring may be rotated in either direction so as to increase or de crease the light.

The contact ring 26 is normally out of contactwith the contact plates to inclusive and rests against the upper flange of the cylinder By rotating the rheostat ring, the contact 2t successively brought into and out of contact with the contact plates 31 to inclusive. Vi hen the contact ring 26 is brougl'it into contact with the contact plate 31. a current passes trom the leading in wire 17, the rod 19, the contact plate 26, the contact plate Bl, and the metallic strip of the lamp socket 7 and through the lamp back to the return wire 15. As the contact ring 26 is successively brought into contact with the plates 32 to 35 inclusive the resistance. is increased, since the paths in the di 'erent convolutions of the coil 36 are of increased length.

it will be seen that by means of the forcgoing that by having the current pass di rectly through the lamp socket as des .d, be lamp will. burn with full brilliancy and turned down to candle power.

comes by shifting the contact ring 26 to cut in V dillerent resistances the light of the lamp will be gradually decreased to the lowest point of dim'ncss, In other words the greater the distance through the coil through which the current will have to travel the greater will he the resistance so that as the ring is turned into and out of contact with the dillcrent contact plates the light. of the lamp will become dimmer and dimmer.

As heretofore stated the direct circuit is through the lamp from the leading in wires and through the plate 31, and when contact is made with the plate 32 it will. stand a resistance of 250 ohms This contact will dim the light to about 5 candle power of a lamp of about 200 candle power. Contact with. the plate 33 will'stand a resistance of 150 watts or 120 candle power and can be Contact with plate 34 will reduce the light of all smaller lamps from 20 candle power down. Contact with plate 35 is one candle power in a 16 candle power lamp of the'metal filament or tungsten lamps. In a 16 candle power lamp of the carbon filament the light,

is reduced. to one-half candle power.

It will be seen that by means of this invention that a simple and economical con- Sl'l'llClLlOll is provided by the employment of a single coil. Any number of contacts may be employed and any number of degrees of light may be regulated to the length of the coil. l urtherniiorc by means of employing a. hollow rheostat. ring with means for ventilating the same overheating of the parts is avoided, and a. simple and economical construction is provided.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. In a. device of the character a plug adapted. to be electric: lly connected with an electric lighting circuit, an incandescent lamp soclcct mounted on said plug, a hollow rotary rheostat ring mounted on said lamp socket and formed with an outer casing with ventilating aperturhs, an inner cylindrical casing with insulating material, a number of vertical contact plates resting against said inner wall of the ring, a single coil of conducting wire encircling said plates and said inner wall, or: the ring and insulated :lrom said plates, one of said plates being in electrical coiltact with said lamp socket, and a. spring contact plate mounted on said plug and bearing against the upper side of said ring and adapted to be successively br i u ht into contact with said several contact plates. 7

2. In device of the character described, a plug, electrical conductors mounted in said plug, means for connecting-said electrical conductors with the leading in wires, a spring contactplate in electrical c mnection with said conductors. an incandescent lamp socket mounted on said plug, and ha ing an described,

ventilated rheostat rin annular'flange at its lower end, a hollow mounted on said flange and formed ,wit an outer metallic cylindrical casing, and an inner lindrical casing of insulating material, a n Inber of vertical contact 'plates located on the side of said inner wall of the ring, a single coil of wire encircling said plates in the inner wall of the ring, and insulated from said plates, one of said plates being electrically connected with a'fiange of the lamp socket, said spring contact plate being adapted to successively contact with said contact plates of the ring and means for rotating said ring upon said lamp Socket. 1

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses;

EDWARD H. SMITH.

Witnesses: j v

CHARLES ADAMS, WILL LANNING. 

